About the Book

Rosy-cheeked Mouse and shy Mole share their secret valentines and feel butterflies in their bellies in this delightful addition in the award-winning Mouse and Mole series. Wong Herbert Yee creates just the right combination of sweetness, humor, and heart with his words and images for this early reader audience. Readers will be smitten and swooning with this tender and funny book in this artful and accessible series. As an added bonus, learn how to make a valentine to share in the back of the book!

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About the Author

Wong Yee

Wong Herbert Yee lives in Michigan, where he writes and illustrates books for children including the Mouse and Mole series and the Fireman Small series. For a complete list of books by Wong Herbert Yee, visit www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com. For more information about Wong, visit his Web site at http://hometown.aol.com/wongherbertyee/

Excerpts

Valentines Cards Mouse traced a heart on the frosted windowpane. “Valentine’s Day is coming!” she squeaked. Just thinking about it warmed Mouse from ear to tail. “I’d better make a list of our friends,” she sighed. “Mole is below, waiting to make valentines.” Mouse nibbled the end of her pencil. “Let me think . . . there’s Brown Rabbit, White Rabbit, and Squirrel,” she wrote. “Skunk, Porcupine, and—Turtle, too.” Mouse twirled her tail. “It seems I’m forgetting someone? Silly me!” she giggled. “I left out my best friend!” Mouse added Mole to the list. She drew a heart next to his name. Mouse got a funny feeling inside—like butterflies in her stomach. Downstairs, Mole was getting ready to make valentines. Mole rubbed his snout. “Let me see . . . We will need paper and pencils, scissors and glue.” Mole laid everything out on the table. “Valentine’s Day is about love,” he sighed. Mole felt his face flush. He was thinking about his neighbor upstairs, Mouse. Mole got a funny feeling inside—like butterflies in his stomach. Tap-tap-tap. A knock on the door made Mole jump. “Come in, Mouse,” he said.“I have been waiting.”

Mouse stepped into Mole’s hole. “Are you feeling okay?” she asked. “You look a bit flushed.” Mole’s cheeks turned redder still. “I was busy fetching stuff to make valentines,” he explained. “So, what’s the plan?” Mouse wondered. Mole took a piece of pink paper and folded it in half. He drew a curvy line in pencil. “That looks like my tail,” giggled Mouse. “Do not be silly!” chuckled Mole. He cut along the line with scissors. Snip, snip, snip! “Presto!” Mole unfolded the paper. “Why, it’s a heart!” Mouse exclaimed. “You are too clever, Mole!” Mole laid the pink sheet on a red one. “Pencil the message here,” he said. Mole cut out more heart shapes. Mouse thought of things to say. She nibbled the end of her pencil. On one card Mouse wrote: BE MINE. On another she put: TOO COOL! “How many do we need?” Mole asked. Mouse peeked at her list. “Six will do.” “A half dozen it is!” agreed Mole. Mouse squinted at the red paper. “These pencil lines are hard to read.” Mole handed Mouse a tube of glue. “Trace them over with this, Mouse. I will be right back.” Mole returned with a jar of silver glitter. He sprinkled it all over the red sheet. Mole tipped the paper up and gave it a tap-tap-tap. The glitter that didn’t stick to the letters slid off. Mouse clapped her paws in delight. “You are not only clever, Mole, but artistic as well!” Mole blushed a valentine red.

Reviews

"Rush out and treat newly independent readers to this heartwarming tale that brings a satisfying end to the arc of Mouse and Mole's relationship."—Kirkus

"This heartwarming, early chapter book unfolds with perfect pacing, and every word advances the plot, provides information, or delivers humor. A delightful addition."—School Library Journal

"This romp of an early reader acknowledges that a first crush can feel every bit as momentous as a more long-term love."—Publishers Weekly

"[A] gentle, simply written tale. . . A pleasant entry in the Mouse and Mole series."—Booklist

"Full of blushing cheeks, butterflies-in-stomachs, and goofy grins, the seventhy title in the Mouse and Mole beginning reader series celebrates Valentine's Day with a mouse-gets-mole romantic comedy in four chapters."—The Horn Book Magazine